Lee orders dedicated liaisons for families of 9 Koreans missing in Nepal floods

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday ordered the designation of dedicated government liaisons for the families of nine South Koreans missing in Nepal's floods, directing officials to "respond with care so that families feel no lack of support."

Lee chaired an emergency meeting on the situation that afternoon at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Seoul, Cheong Wa Dae Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a briefing at the Chunchugwan press center.

Lee instructed officials to "dispatch rescue personnel to the site as quickly as possible and, in consultation with the company, carefully attend to the requests of families — including requests for meetings with relatives of employees who are isolated or out of contact."

He also ordered the appointment of a dedicated public affairs officer to work alongside the family liaisons and provide continuous updates on search and rescue operations.

During the meeting, Lee received a video briefing from South Korea's acting ambassador to Nepal on the extent of damage in the affected area, road and communications conditions, and the status of Nepalese authorities' search and rescue efforts. He also reviewed conditions on the ground, including specific details on South Korean nationals and damage to a power plant.

Lee additionally received a report from Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on consultations with the Nepalese government to determine the whereabouts of South Korean nationals, as well as pan-government response plans including the dispatch of a joint rapid-response team.